I don't think it really matters how the issue is triggered. They're not really straight, but I think Stranger by the shore navigates it pretty well.
It does to me because it interrupts the organic flow imo. Evidently this issue will come up because Bruno has the pictures of Andrew and Luke. It’s more a personal “ick” tbh with using a random fucker who isn’t going to appear ever again just to push the conflict along.
I’ll bookmark the story you mentioned, thanks.
How should it happen?
It started off well enough with Andrew not wanting to hold hands in public to spare Luke. But it could have been comments floating around, Luke having to witness homophobia or being pulled into that kind of “controversial” conversation with his friends while Andrew overhears or is actually there to hear Luke’s opinion. What I mean is, there are organic ways to set up this conflict than to stick in some old classmate weirdo who just starts talking nonsense without any context. I get there may be people who are like that, but in these stories they always only appear for one reason.
Introducing the social/personal dilemma of being in a gay relationship for an established straight character is real tricky to do, and I find authors always go for that one random acquaintance who just appears out of nowhere to blurt a bunch of incendiary nonsense. No other way to do it I guess, but the entire interaction with Vance felt so out of place and jarring. Oh well, this should help push Andrew and Luke closer together, I hope